Tag Archives: double IPA

UPDATE: Hours after I published this post, Stone officially announced Enjoy By 04.01.13 IPA. And BeerPulse.com’s report on the markets that will get the latest Enjoy By batch was mostly accurate, with the exception of one market. North Carolina will also be getting Enjoy By 04.01.13, and I added that market to the list below. (In bold.) Hit Stone’s website for the official details. Can’t wait to get me a couple of bottles of Enjoy By 04.01.13.

Yesterday, brew news site BeerPulse.com posted what it claims are the markets for the next version of Stone Brewing Co.’s Enjoy By IPA. I’m a bit hesitant to post this information here, because it hasn’t been confirmed by Stone—in fact, Stone hasn’t even announced the next Enjoy By IPA at all. And there was also a bit of confusion on my blog regarding the last version, Enjoy By IPA 02.15.13. But BeerPulse.com is generally reliable, so I’m listing the following alleged markets for Enjoy By 04.01.13 with the caveat that they are not official at this point. (Note: I love Enjoy By IPA. Read this to find out why.)

Here we go:

Connecticut

Delaware

Georgia

Indiana

Kentucky

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan (Detroit & Ann Arbor)

New York (NYC & burbs)

Northern California (Bay Area)

North Carolina

Ohio

Rhode Island

Southern California

South Carolina

Texas

Vermont

If the information turns out to be accurate, Stone is sending Enjoy By back to a number of markets that already got earlier releases of the beer, in some cases because those markets showed the most support on social media channels including Twitter and Facebook. Texas, Massachusetts and Missouri showed the most social support for Stone Enjoy By 12.21.12, and the brewer said at the time that it would be sending more Enjoy By to these areas, so it certainly stands to reason that Enjoy By 04.01.13 is headed to these markets—especially since Enjoy By 02.15.12 was not shipped to Texas, Massachusetts or Missouri.

BeerPulse.com says Stone should start shipping the beer in the coming week or two for late February availability, and if this holds true, Stone should announce the beer in the near future. I’ll confirm—or correct—the details here as soon as I can.

Earlier this month, Stone Brewing Co. announced the markets in which the latest batch of its stellar Enjoy By IPA will be available. The company posted a confusing blog entry to introduce the beer and the markets, and it mentioned the little social media promotion it used when the last batch of Enjoy By was released.

I wrote a blog post listing the markets, and I reached out to Stone via Twitter for some clarification on whether or not the states that “won” the social media contest-deal would get the latest batch, Enjoy By 2.15.13, because I thought that was the point of the whole promotion. Stone sent me a direct messaging saying the winning states, Texas, Massachusetts and Missouri, would indeed be getting more Enjoy By. And since I asked specifically if these states would be getting the 2.15.13 batch, I thought Stone’s response meant that these three states would be on the Enjoy By 2.15.13 distribution list. I then updated my blog post with the new information

But apparently I was wrong. And I’m a bit pissed off. I’m not pissed that I won’t be able to get any Enjoy By 2.15.13 in my home state of Massachusetts. It’s just beer. (Okay, I’m a little pissed about that.) I’m pissed Stone told me that the beer would be coming to the three states I asked about. I reported that on my blog, which makes me look foolish for posting misinformation. I take this blog very seriously, even if it is just a silly beer blog. I value every reader, and I hate posting misinformation.

Looking at Stone’s Twitter response, I see that it could mean Massachusetts will get more Enjoy By IPA at a later date, and not the Enjoy By 2.15.13. But I asked Stone specifically about this batch. (See the Twitter conversation above.) And apparently it was never coming to my area—or Texas or Missouri.

Anyway, I apologize for the confusion. I’m a big fan of Stone, but I’m not pleased. If they didn’t make such damn good beer (read my review of Enjoy By 12.21.12 here) I might be inclined to boycott them…or at least talk shit on this blog and on social network.

Update 1: I just heard back from Stone, and MA, TX and MO will be getting Enjoy By 2.15.13 IPA. Thank God. (I live in Boston, and I need more Enjoy By.)

Stone Brewing Co., maker of the much-lauded—and hyped up—Enjoy By IPAs today announced the 10 markets in which its next Enjoy By IPA, 2.15.13, could be released. I say “could be” because the company’s blog post isn’t exactly clear on the subject. It states that the following markets are “in contention for Stone Enjoy By IPA 2.15.13.” But it also states that Texas, Massachusetts and Missouri showed the most social media engagement while the last version of the IPA, Enjoy By IPA 12.21.12, was still on shelves, so it’s unclear if these states will get the next batch of Enjoy By IPA or not. (Read my review of Stone Brewing Co. Enjoy By 12.21.12 IPA here.)

Anyway, here’s the list:

Arizona

Oregon

Idaho

New Mexico

Virginia

Washington

Philadelphia, PA

Pittsburgh, PA

Sacramento/Lake Tahoe, CA

Washington, D.C.

I’ve reached out to Stone via Twitter for clarification, but who know if they’ll actually respond. Regardless, the next batch of Enjoy By IPA is scheduled to be bottled on Friday, January 11, and that’s good news anyway that you look at it. You can learn more about Stone’s Enjoy By IPA 2.15.13 on the company’s website.

Narragansett, which is known for its mediocre lager beer and silly “Hi Neighbor!” motto, is enjoying a bit of a revival in and around New England these days, due to its PBR-esque hipster appeal. The brewery is apparently trying to capitalize on this, and the current popularity of American IPA throughout the country, with its own double IPA.

“Celebrate ‘Gansett’s storied 122 years in business with the limited-edition Imperial IPA. Released in a 22-ounce bomber bottle, the IPA is chock-full of references to Narragansett’s anniversary. The label is styled after an early Private Stock Ale label used by the company when they began brewing ales in the late 1890s, which underscores ‘Gansett’s heritage as one of the original craft brewers in New England.

“Narragansett Imperial IPA was crafted with the best of American and German ingredients, to reflect the great history and legacy behind the brand. We used American 2-row pale malt as the base for this beer, and German Specialty malts to build the back bone and flavor profile of this beer.

“Summit hops were used for all the kettle hopping, and then we used a mix of Northern Brewers, Hallertau, Tettanager, and Sazz hops at a rate of 2 lb.’s per bbl for our dry hopping. This Imperial IPA will weigh in at 8.6 percent ABV with a target IBU of 122 to reflect the age of Gansett as a company.

“Narragansett Imperial IPA is brewed under the supervision of award-winning Brewmaster Sean Larkin at Trinity Brew House in Providence, R.I. It will be available for purchase for a limited time throughout all of New England, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.”

I’m not really a big Narragansett drinker, but I’ll pick up one of these bombers when I see one, if for no other reason than to support local New England brewers. I’m not expecting much, but who knows? I was pleasantly surprised by Narrangansett’s Bock beer.

At this moment, I’m drinking a Heady Topper from The Alchemist brewery in Waterbury, Vermont. And it’s amazing, which is why I’m dedicating a blog post to a single 16-ounce can—yes, it comes in a can—of beer.

Heady Topper is an double IPA, but it’s not just any IPA. It’s probably one of the best, and most sought-after IPAs in the United States right now. It’s the Pliny the Elder—or maybe even the Pliny the Younger—of the East Coast. And it’s made in smaller batches than Pliny, so it’s incredibly difficult to get your hands on, even in New England. (I find Heady Topper once every few months, and I go to embarrassingly great lengths to find rare beers.)

The Heady Topper can screams, in capital letters, “DRINK FROM THE CAN!” But fuck that. This beer deserves better—and I admittedly have a can complex.

From the Heady Topper can:

“Heady Topper is an American Double India Pale Ale. This beer is not intended to be the biggest or most bitter. It is meant to give you wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate. Tremendous amounts of American hops will creep up on you, and leave you with a dense hoppy finish in your mouth. So

“So drinkable, it’s scary.

“Sometimes I wish I could crawl right into the can. Freshness and control have always been my main concern when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience. Why do I recommend that you drink it from the can? Quite simply, to ensure a delightful, hoppy experience. The act of pouring it in a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain. If you MUST pour it into a glass you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom—leave them in the can when pouring. This beer is perishable, and at its best when it’s young, fresh and hazy. Keep it cold, but not ice cold. Drink this beer immediately, we are always making more.